[MUD-Dev] Logical MUD Areas

[Jon Lambert]

John Buehler
> S. Patrick Gallaty writes:

>> What, might I ask could be more unhealthy than to have immersive
>> games in which the 'enemy' is a demonized, nonhuman, alien force
>> which we do not have -any- empathy for because they are "without
>> merit" (your words.)  All of the worst of humanity comes from a
>> lack of compassion.  You are encouraging it.

> I argue against immersion just as I argue against killing the good
> guys.  These games encourage us to kill the good guys without the
> implications that should be part and parcel of that action.  No one
> is aghast at the loss of a life.  No terrible smell of rotting
> corpses or of the acrid smell of blood.  Is it better to see a human
> being chopped and lifeless on the ground in order to get their gold
> and belongings?

>> Every living thing has merit unto itself.  Every situation is a
>> dilemma, in the real world.  If you are so interested in really
>> teaching morality, you are not going to do it by teaching people to
>> be desensitized to the violence they choose to commit.

> Ever read "The Swords Trilogy"?  In it, there are these mud-based
> creatures that rise up out of a swamp and attack the good guys.
> Soulless, beings without senses, but with weapons for arms.  This is
> a pretty good starting point for what I'm talking about.  These
> aren't beings with babies.  They are the medieval equivalent of
> robots.  You don't kill them, you take them apart.  Meanwhile,
> they're emotionlessly trying to kill you.

> This is a recipe that I believe can make 'fatal' combat viable
> without considerable detrimental effects.

>> I feel like your path is far, far worse.  I fear more the person
>> who acts without heart at all, than the person who chooses to make
>> someone else suffer for their own gain.

>> Sit back and look at what you are -really- teaching people.  I
>> doubt your position highly.

> Hehe.  I was just reminded of the other discussion about innovative
> ideas receiving such a hostile reception.  I wonder if it works that
> way: get people to be hostile to your new idea and you're
> automatically right.  Naaah.  Probably not :)

Well we're a long way down the road from 'I want to attract casual
gamers' to 'immersive gamers have mental problems' or 'there is
something moral or unethical about admins who run games that attract
non-casual gamers'.

Time to start a 'Muds considered harmful' or 'All muds suck' thread.

--
--* Jon A. Lambert - TychoMUD        Email:jlsysinc at ix.netcom.com *--
--* Mud Server Developer's Page <http://tychomud.home.netcom.com> *--
--* If I had known it was harmless, I would have killed it myself.*--


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